Measure D Could Cost SJ Downtown Cinemas

Dennis Skaggs is the co-founder of Camera Cinemas which operates theaters in San Jose, Campbell and Los Gatos.—Editor

Supporters of the minimum wage increase to San Jose businesses fail to consider the impacts of the small business owner trying to do business in this city.

Movie theaters have always been an excellent venue for entry level young people, and for over four decades the Camera Cinemas has employed thousands of young people in this way. Movie theaters traditionally employ young wage earners, and many that they employ is their first job. They learn people skills, customer service and have access to an inside track on just about every movie in release, but their employ is normally a stepping stone for other, more professional careers. The movie theater serves many of these entry level young people as part time employment while they are in school, or it serves them as a summer job between semesters.

An increase of 25 percent in the hourly rate, however, comes with many other unseen increases and competitive disadvantages to the small business owner. The “floor staff” of a movie theater normally gets paid minimum wage, while assistant managers and managers, projectionist and other staff get paid a little more per hour. All staff wages would have to be bumped up in order to be fair. Since the employer pays each employee half of their social security and other taxes, along with workers compensation, liability and unemployment insurance—all normally based on “gross wages paid”— the actual increases to a small business owner are huge. Minimum wage increases in the past have not been as severe, since it was always statewide, and all businesses—competitors and allies alike—shared the same burden. This San Jose-only proposed increase not only makes competition impossible with other small businesses in other surrounding communities, it will discourage businesses from locating in San Jose due to higher wage costs.

Unlike San Francisco, which has its own big city charm, the South Bay is predominately suburban communities with no distinguishable borders. Case in point is Campbell, where the Camera 7 operates in the Pruneyard Shopping Center. Camera Cinemas also operates the Camera 3 and 12 in downtown San Jose. Although only seven miles separate the facilities and Bascom Ave separates the cities, the job descriptions for all sites are the same. This would certainly not be fair to the employees of the Campbell site where the minimum wage would not be affected.  If this ordinance passes, and there is a need to downsize an operation — and in this economy there is a very real possibility of this — the San Jose facilities would be considered first, due to its higher overhead. I’m certain that any other business owner would have to make similar decisions if this ordinance passes.

I urge everyone to keep San Jose competitive with our neighboring communities and vote against this ordinance.

54 Comments

        • Lol…its funny because its true!
          San Jose clearly has more Einsteins as John put it than Camera Cinema expected that Don’t BUY the soda and the popcorn!  I hate the fact that they tried to redirect their inability to effectively run their business and place the blame on the “potential” $2 minimum wage increase .If all it takes is one thing to put you out of business then you never where going to make it.  If you cannot handle one thing…come on.  If it wasn’t this it would have been something else. You weren’t being realistic with yourself from the jump and you clearly lied in your business portfolio. Don’t listen to the businesses, and corporation lies. People that work hard and play by the rules deserve a fair pay. Vote YES on D. Bye bye Camera Cinema. As Michael Kyle once said ” So long, see you sucker, bon voyage, ariverderchi, later loser, good-bye, good riddens, peace out, don’t let the door know hit ya where the good lord split ya, don’t come back ‘round here no more, hasta la vista baby, kick rocks and get the hell out.

        • By By a lot of businesses. Way to be a business killer. Who is going to run and fill that open spot when you can open your business in Santa Clara and pay $8. Are you going to buy a $8 cheeseburger in San Jose when you can pay $6 in Santa Clara. You just expect the business owner to make less or even lose money. Get real. The only way I agree with your logic is if you tell me you have never ever bought anything from Amazon.com. Everybody I knows buys things from there to save on taxes or did. They put the book store out of business. VOTE NO on Measure D. Its a Dumb measure that will kill jobs.

        • Who do you think will drive all the way to Santa Clara just to pay $6 for a burger? The gas cost alone would make it worth the $8 burger. Let’s just see the “lot of businesses” that will be going bye-bye. I doubt any. If they can’t afford the measure, then they were bottoming out in the first place. Business owners gouge off the backs of the employees. They drive their Mercedes while the employee may have to catch the bus. Employers are cheap and they want it all for nothing. Vote yes on Measure D, people. It’s the right thing to do for the people out their struggling. Businesses aren’t going anywhere. Just a lot of talk.

        • I’d pay $8 for a good burger anytime anyday…I Love Nation’s burgers as opposed to buying the crappy $1 McDonald’s burger you find on every corner.1 great burger for $8 dollars or 8 crappy burgers for $8 dollars…Really? If you would honestly drive to another CITY to save $2 dollars on a… burger…then lets change the topic and talk about that… because that is asinine. I’ll be damned if I drive pass 30+ closer burger joints just to get to a $6 dollar burger SMH. And no I’ve never purchased any thing off of Amazon(you asked the wrong person I know im just not all hip and with it like these young kids lol). Be a man of your word now ok Je.. and VOTE YES on Measure D

        • The burger place is right next to Santa Clara. And yes I do think that. So So Interesting why don’t you open a business up on the border and see what happens. A restaurant for example with just four employees at a $2 a hour difference adds up to $10 a hour more. And yes I know 4x$2 is $8 but you need to factor in workmens comp, fica, etc into that wage. Well if the store is open 12 hours that is a extra $120 a day, $840 a week and $43,680 a year. So your going to take a $43,680 pay cut cause you open in the wrong city. NO bank would loan the money for that business owner to survive. Your right shut your doors burger joint. Not sure how they are driving a Mercedes. Most owners just make it. Yes big corporations like Apple and Facebook make huge bucks. But mom and pop shops don’t. Most Employers aren’t cheap they work extremely hard. Measure D is a job killer meaning small business will go out and hence you will have higher unemployment. By the way how is it a lot of talk its happened before go find a job making things in a factory guess what those business moved to Mexico and China. Cheaper wages prevailed. Not sure why you want to put someone out of business.

        • je. because I don’t WANT to open a business. If I did, I would have. Let’s just see what happens when the measure passes. Let’s see just how many businesses are going to have to close. And if a business owner is just scraping by, he or she needs to find another line of business.

        • So so wow you want to kill the small business. Put high school kids out of work. That is so so wrong. Simply answer my question then. How does a business in SJ compete with a business a 1/2 mile away in Santa Clara paying $2 a hour less? They raise there prices they lose customers. If you think the owner sucks up the difference cause he can your so so wrong. So if I have 10 employees working for me that is $20 a hour difference. Open 12 hours that is $240 a day based on a 360 day year.(Closed for some holidays) that is a extra $86,400 a year. You just don’t make that up unless you raise prices. So so I wouldn’t want to open a business in SJ either. Its a big money pit thanks to people like you if this passes.
          Love to hear your answer how the business owner adapts……

  1. The Camera Cinemas are going go out of business anyway since it’s always empty and not enough people live downtown.  Downtown SJ is a virtual ghosttown most of the time.  It’s dead and a lost cause.  It needs a ton of people living there and a whole lot more housing/office development there.  People needs to not kid around and vote for measure D to get a fair shake in this economy, and Camera Cinemas are going out of business anyway regardless of the outcome since there are very few people downtown. I’m for measure D!  Success for everyone, not just a few.

    • City Blue,

      Have you ever seen the movie with Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, “The Rainman?”  With your constant drumming about downtown needing yet more development, you sound like Dustin, who played the part of a man who was autistic.  From where do you suppose all the money to develop downtown will come?

      • If that what boils down to, it’s fine with me since I loved that movie.  I’m just like the Rainman when it comes to downtown success!  You need to have a desire for downtown to be denser at all costs!  Without downtown, San Jose is Nothing.  Downtown is the city’s living room and the first visitors’ impression of the city.  Get obsessed with downtown until it carries the whole city and be very successfu.

        • Exactly without that San Jose is lost. Until San Jose becomes a tourist destination it needs to keep the state min wage. Lets face it San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard, Golden Gate Park, the Wharf, Giants, etc. What does San Jose have a hockey team that isn’t even playing. No one will come here when business raise there prices 20% to factor in this cost of wage increase if it passes.
          To say someone is working full time and at $8 a hour they need to learn a new skill. I get it a dishwasher working $8 a hour doesn’t pay the bills. Maybe that dishwasher should learn a skill such as being a plumber. Last I looked the plumber came out and charged me $150 to do a 1/2 job. I would gladly pay a person $40 a hour instead. That would be a 400% increase. Take that to the bank. So vote NO on Measure D to save business in SJ. Who wants to SJ to be the next book store that goes out of business. We know what Amazon did to the local book store when it wasn’t a level playing field.

        • City Blue min wage is for min skills. I would support this Measure if the plumber didn’t charge a $100 a hour to fix my backed up toilet that some customer plugged up with paper towels. Sorry but paying someone $13 a hour to wash my dishes I have to raise the price of my burger from $8 to about $12 to pay my 10 employees. Who will buy my burgers then when in Santa Clara they will still charge $8. I’m sorry unless they law stated you can’t shop outside San Jose the business here will go the way of the bookstore to Amazon bye bye. Then there will be less min wage jobs. Its called supply and demand. Vote NO on D. Save what little jobs are left

        • I feel that San Jose would be better off with higher minimum wages since the city has nothing to lose.  It’s already in the bottom and without anything to cling on: like the title of capital of Silicon Valley, which went to San Francisco and no hope of a vibrant downtown.  The only way out of this doldrum is to raise minimum wage.  I’d would raise it to 12 or 13 dollars an hour if it were up to me.  The costs of living is way too high to make a living for most people here.  Vote for Measue D!!!!!

        • I’m so sorry, but if they can’t pay over $10 an hour, let alone $13 an hour, it’s not feasible to work in this high cost town.  The rents are way too high for wages lower than these.  It’s not worth getting the job or doing the job unless it’s feasible, and job pays the bills. The whole county should raise the minimum wage to $13 an hour unless they bring down these insane housing costs by building a ton of it, particularly in downtown highrises, just like they do in Toronto and Vancouver.  That’s the only way to bring down the cost of living and reducing the requirement of raising the minimum wage.

        • Finally someone makes sense. Raise the whole countries min wage. Its a even playing field then. Finally someone sees why you need to VOTE NO on Measure D its just Dumb

  2. $8.00 an hour to live in San Jose is criminal. These people deserve to be able to live a better life, even if it is only an extra $2 an hour. I agree with the poster about the cost of the refreshments. Rip off. I have no sympathy for you either.

  3. Well goodbye and good riddance. You were an eyesore anyways. If you cant afford to stay in business when your making a 500% profit on everything you sell you arent gonna make it anywhere,anyway, anyday. San Jose wont miss you and neither will Campbell(so be gone).Hot dog $5 dollars Drink $5 popcorn $5   candy $5all size xsmall total $20 …thats enough to pay 2workers the new minimum wage.Your own employees would have to work 3-4 hours just to watch a movie and eat where they work thatts freaking ridiculous. And lets be honest there is nothing upscale about you.

  4. I’m voting yes on increasing the minimum wage measure. Too many people have to rely on food stamps, Medi-Cal, churches, affordable housing, etc. just to make ends meet. That is just wrong.

    I agree with everyone else, the prices that are charged in movie theaters for even a bottle of water is outrageous, given what they pay employees. I can pop my own popcorn, and rent a movie from Comcast in the comfort of my own home, and not have to be blinded by cell phones in the dark, and idle chatter, during the movie, from idiots who think they are at home on their living room couch, for about 10 bucks! :(

  5. You make some great points. But min wage jobs do one thing and this will take it away. That is to give a person with no skills there first job. Once you get skills you become more valuable hence you get raises. It’s called supply and demand. As a business owner I hire people with no skills at $8 a hour and also with skills and pay them more. If this Measure D passes I will no longer higher the no skills work crew as why pay someone with no skills at $10 when I can hire someone from San Carlos with a lot of skills at $10 a hour.
    This teacher who teaches at SJ state didn’t take that into effect. So this so called project is going to cost countless teens there first job and its just not GREEN. So parents fire up those SUVs as you will be driving your kids to San Carlos, Hollister, etc for there first job as you will find no one willing to pay a person with NO experience $10 a hour.  WAY TO BE GREEN

      • So so why don’t you open a business and borrow money from your family then so how it is to own a business. Doing business in CA is tough doing business if this passes in San Jose is impossible. Your comment other will hire good luck when all the small shops closed there doors. You should retake Econ 101 as it sounds like you got a F. NO on Measure D. As its Dumb for San Jose.

        • Huh? You think doing business will be tough in SJ if this passes? How tough do you think it is for these people to live on $8/hr in this valley? A little over $16k per year. Poverty. And if I DID open a business, I would make sure that I did it without having to borrow the money from ANYBODY. I got an F in Econ 101?? I am LMAO. I’ve got more degrees than you probably ever thought about. You don’t do that by getting Fs, son.

        • So so there is no way you got a degree. That is so so funny. Almost every business has used borrowed money to open and finance there operations. People use what they call SBA Loans. It needs to be a state wide or nation wide min wage. Business just can’t compete it costs to much money. It would put a business making decent money into the red.
          Again why don’t you put your money where your mouth is and open one? I really don’t think you know the first thing about running one. Take the challenge!!!!!

  6. The minimum wage will go up as it has repeatedly since its inception and guess what…. business will rebound from it as they always have. Enough with your erroneous glooms day predications, this is not the first increase of the minimum wage in the entire world nevertheless San Jose.If you want to drive to San Carlos with gas at an alltime high go ahead. The price of gas is damn near 75% of the minimum wage. Everything is going up but the minimum wage…Its time for $10 vote YES on MEasure D. By the way it isnt just teens that are relying on the minimum wage. Teens dont even account for the majority of minimum wage workers. At the current min and your kid only working part-time(being a student)…That paycheck wouldnt even be worth the gas to get to San Carlos…Your arguement lacks logic . The prices of everything is going UP everything.I cant think of one thing that hasnt. The minimum wage is due for an increase,it needs to reflect the cost of living in San Jose and you can not live in San Jose on a gallon and a half of gas an hr.VOTE YES ON MESASURE D- D for DOLLAR$$

  7. This is a deceiving proposition.  It is called “living wage” when its not.  It is merely a scam by a sociology teacher to con the public into delving into the private sector market place which this instructor obviously knows knowing about.  His whole career has been sucking at the public teat.

    People supporing this measure know nothing about running a business with the exception perhaps of having a paper route when you were 12.  But then you weren’t responsible for employing ENTRY level workers.

    And that’s what this is about.  Its where you START on the pay scale.  It’s not meant to be a salary for Juan or Humberto who have a family with 5 kids to support.

    Entry level is for high school students and the like to start to learn the value of money, how to budget said money and a bit about how the economy works.

    For all you peirced nose liberal art unemployed graduates sitting around at Starbucks because you can’t get a “meaningful job” that pays what you think your worth – sorry.

    Here’s an idea.  Take all your money, start a business, work 80-100 hrs/wk to try and be successful while your actual take home pay is about $4/hr and then think about hiring some doofus like you, who knows nothing about running a business and feel like he’s entitled to $10/hr because some so called “progressive” college instructor says that’s what it should be – and then tell us how you feel about that.

    The Camera theaters set up years ago, stuck it out downtown then bad years and then worse years – got rolled over by the RDA and hung on even though downtown has been a loss leader for business for 30 years.

    You try running a business and then tell us how that works out for you.

    • Well said Hugh.

      It seems we fought and won the Cold War for nothing. We beat Communism overseas but now our spoiled, whiny public employee teaching establishment is determined to reignite Communism right here at home. And the ovine masses are happy to follow along.
      And why? Bcause they’re peeved about being charged too much for their popcorn and soda.

  8. You missed the mark – DMC – ENTRY level pay is for young people living at home who want an after school/weekend/summer job to earn a little “extra” money. $8/hr is fine.  In fact it fits perfectly in the large socio/economic grand scheme of life. They are just starting out, learning about money and how it works.  This is why its called ENTRY LEVEL – get it?

    If said young person is tired of living at home – your right $8/hr will not pay rent.  Said young person will then have to get a A.better job or B.find a cheaper place to live.

    To accomplish A. this could mean (among other things) get a meaningful degree, learn a skill (plumbing, electrical, etc) and be able to afford to pay rent.

    Then there is option B.  Move to place with cheaper rent – like Modesto.

    BTW – there are lots of high paying jobs waiting to be filled – so many in fact that tech companies are asking to raise the limit of HB1 visas to allow more people to come here and fill those jobs – but that creates other problems for another discussion.

    • Hughmistake..You do know that there is a difference between and an opinion and a fact.FACT:Contrary to streotypes, the overwhelming majority of low wage workers are adults not teens and they contribute a substanstial portion of their household incomes. FACT: only 16.6% of workers are teens so “said young person” isnt really at the heart of the discussion and honestly I dont think you care about young( Humberto as you put it)anyway.  Get this…FACT:83% of that ENTRY LEVEL field is held overwhelming by people 20-64 years old…  businesses and you should stop calling it an entry because clearly their is no exit for the majority.BTW sheriff… Who do you think you are to start running people out of town ???This aint the old West kid ….smh Hugh does not play well with others. Yes on Measure D.FACT: MEASURE D helps to ensure that San Jose will not be cherry picked by people like Hugh.

      • Well dmcjones the min. wage job is for teens and early job seekers. If person is worth anything they would get raises. I give raises to my people all the time. But the fact is if a person is lazy or just doesn’t get it they stay at $8 a hour. Sometimes I have to fire them as they aren’t even worth that amount. What will happen if this passes as I said before there will be no entry level positions and companies will cut hours and people or I need to raise my prices. Are you going to pay $8 for a burger or $6 in Santa Clara. Also this is just not GREEN. People will have to drive to Santa Clara and such to get there first job. If Measure D passes there will be nothing left to Cherry pick as you say because there won’t be businesses here to compete. Vote NO on MEASURE D. Save jobs and save the environment.

        • Yea you really didn’t read my post dmcjones. The burgers are the same. Why would min wage effect the quality of burger from one town to the other. Your Nations burgers instead of $8 is now $10. That pays for the increase in wage. Santa Clara burger charges $8 and $10 for the San Jose one. The owner needs to make the same margins to pay overhead, loans, etc. Like the Amazon example which you must be the only one out there that hasn’t bought something on it as why would all the book stores be closed. So vote NO on this Measure D as in Dumb to save small business from going bankrupt. Which in turn will KILL jobs.

        • Je I am surprise and dissapointed by your lack of integrity..not really.I read your post..maybe u should. No burger is the same… Admit that or this discussion is without merit. Carls JR is as different from McDonalds as In & Out is to Burger King…Of course minimum wage would not effect the quality of a burger…my point is there are plenty of quality burgers in San Jose without having to chase one to another town like the Hamburgular. These burger Joints already charge varying prices for their burger ie Carls Jr has a proud $6 burger…their not going out of business are they? While McDonalds has a piece of crap burger for a dollar. I will gladly any day of the week hop skip bike or drive pass a cheaper McDonalds burger to wiling pay more $1,$2,$3,$4,$5 more for an In and Out burger and I am not alone thats why McD invest so heavily in marketing because cost does not replace quality or customer interest. Cost alone does not dictated where people eat if so McD would be the number one Burger JOB Killer of them all.If McDonalds is anything… we know its cheap.No one can make a cheaper burger than MCD as a result its doesnt take much to make a better one. And that Je is what businesses should be spending their time trying to do… make better products. Vote Yes on Measure D…. Burger Joints that cant make a burger that taste better than a dollar burger are the only ones in danger.Or compnaies that cant figure out how to make their product worth the increase.They should always be trying to make a better product anyhow.Thats basic common sense.

        • DMS – you state that if burger joints can’t make a better burger – they should go out of business.  Here’s a question:  If you let the entry level burger joints go under – where will the entry level folk eat? 
          You seem to suggest that the $10/hr worker will now be eating a $6 burger instead of a $1 burger. He/she will have to work an extra 2 1/2 hours just to get burger.  Want fries with that?

          All this bad measure will do is make San Jose even more expensive to live in.

          This is more govt regulation that will beg for some screw up – like the current gas prices.  Plenty of gas but winter gas cannot be used yet due – – Gov’t regulations.  Jerry Brown wants to fix that by establishing “a Board” that will review those policies.  So we will have regulators regulating the regulators.

          The amount of tax money needed to enforce your bad measure will require – -more taxes.  Who does that hurt the most ultimately?  The entry level worker.

          Old saying:  Too many ticks can kill the dog.

        • A lil dramatic eh Je…even the chambers study said “You look at San Jose, one of the most powerful economies in the state—in the world,” Thornberg said, citing one million workers in Santa Clara County. “Will it (Measure D) kill the city of San Jose? Of course, not…..How do you fix your mouth to say that “min. wage job is for teens and early job seekers” if only 13% of min. wage workers are teens and early job seekers(These jobs are being driven,powered and maintained by adult minimum wage workers) Side note I’d pay $8 for a good burger anytime anyday…I Love Nations burgers as opposed to buying the crappy $1 McDonald’s burger you find on every corner.and no Ive never purchased any thing off of Amazon(you asked the wrong person I know im just not all hip and with it like these young kids lol). Be a man of your word now ok Je and vote yes on Measure D

        • No Hughmistake x2 I said Burger Joints that cant make a burger that taste better than a dollar burger are the only ones in danger. Its right there ^. Do you have a habit of distorting information to craft it to your liking? Thats gotta help you not feel so miserable. I could agree with YOU about this …but then… we’d both be wrong. VOTE YES ON D
          People who work hard and play by the rules deserve a fair wage

          ·      There are tens of thousands of people in this city who can’t even afford to pay their own rent , let alone other necessities and they have to rely on charity and government subsidies.

          ·      It’s not okay for businesses to force taxpayers to subsidize their employees, just because those businesses don’t want to pay a fair wage.

          VOTE YES ON MEASURE D

        • dmc that isn’t what I’m saying of course a Carls JR burger is different from a McD burger. I’m talking about the same burger in Santa Clara vs one in SJ. Santa Clara cost $8 the SJ cost $10. It’s the exact same burger. I’m not sure why your talking about driving for a better burger. IT’s not a better burger its the SAME BURGER. Sounds like your main argument is cost alone doesn’t dictate where people buy things. So glad then there is no such things as coupons and two for one specials. Thanks for clearing that up.

        • DMC its a entry level position. Why would you pay a dishwasher $10 a hour when they are worth $8. I don’t care how hard they work its a $8 a hour job. It’s not met to support a family. It’s spending money for after school. The real problem sounds like there are not enough high paid skilled jobs or all these people lack the skill. Maybe they don’t speak english so they can’t become a cook or server. Can you agree on that?? All this does is increase menu prices for one city where no one will eat at. Something has to give as if all places to eat make big bucks then you would have everyone doing it. The fact is small business barely get by.
          By the way lets get rid of Prop 13 and stop subsidizing people that own there own homes. That money can be used to pay for schools to educate these people to get better jobs. The only reason your not challenging that is because small business is a minority and the home owners are a majority. BUt the fact is that main cause our workforce is uneducated.

  9. To hughbiquitous…Juan and Humberto are very respectable names however I feel as if you were trying to convey somethng other then that when you selected them.May you find your way to appreciating all the diversity that San Jose,Franciso,Mateo,Ramon,Pablo,Leandro,Joaquin,Diego,Rafeal,Carlos( you see where this could led btw happy Cristobal Colon Day) has and may the same people you stepped on to get where you are show you the same kindness on your way down.Vote Yes on Measure D and stick it “know betters” like hughbiquitous.There are tens of thousands of people in this city who can’t even afford to pay their own rent , let alone other necessities and they have to rely on charity and government subsidies.

    ·      It’s not okay for businesses to force taxpayers to subsidize their employees, just because those businesses don’t want to pay a fair wage.Im voting yes on Measure D!

    • dmcjones why don’t you go fight the get rid of prop 13 on paying low property tax. I’m sure that is next for you. Why should someone who is retired and owns there home not pay a high tax like everybody else. My next door neighbor pays $907 a year while the other neighbor pays %8,990 a year. Zillow any neighborhood and you can see the difference. Spread the wealth right?

    • Its the union cronies not Reed that is pushing this.  Circling the drain is the fault of the union lackeys who have bought and paid for council members and overindulged when the city clearly doesn’t have the money.

      • Herrera,Liccardo,Oliverio,Constant,Nguyen,Pyle and Reed all in the Chambers pocket right along with the Mercury News. Really Rose Herrera is bought and paid for by the Chamber of Commerce which is funding her re election, Liccardo hoping one day to be mayor is making all the deals he can to get in good with Chamber for the money ,Nguyen also eyeballing the mayors office and playing Reeds puppet to make the connections he has,Constant is a desperate empty soul just trying to cash a paycheck the bigness one chambers can write ,Pyle,Oliverio cant make a deciscion with looking 3x across the street,oh and Reed oh unhonorable Reed. Its clear which way that reed blows.

  10. Get rid of measure D. Return those entry level jobs to the teenagers.
    Every job I did as a kid is now performed by Juan, Humberto, Julio, Pedro, miguel, Van, Quach, and Thien.

    Kids don’t have paper routes anymore. Old Vietnamese men in station wagons do. Kids don’t collect bottles and cans anymore, but older Hispanics and Vietnamese women do.
    Kids don’t mow lawns for money anymore. But every gardening service employs undocumented immigrant adults. Kids don’t wash cars for money anymore. But you can find no shortage of Spanish speaking adults at any Delta Queen or Classic Car wash. Kids don’t work at jack in the box and McDonald’s anymore. All the jobs are taken by Spanish speaking adults. Thank God for In-out burger or a high school kid couldn’t get a burger flipping job in this town.
    Return those jobs to American kids who need these jobs just as bad as anyone else.
    NO ON D

    • 1st of all you have some real negative racial undertones if you have a problem with…Juan, Humberto, Julio, Pedro, miguel, Van, Quach, and Thien,Old Vietnamese men,Vietnamese women,undocumented immigrant adults and Spanish speaking adults…then raise the hell on up.IF this is the mentality that is prompting so many of you to vote no on D then we have much bigger issues to discuss. And the same goes to you… Dont need you dont want you.So long, see you sucker, bon voyage, ariverderchi, later loser, good-bye, good riddens, peace out, don’t let the door know hit ya where the good lord split ya, don’t come back ‘round here no more, hasta la vista baby, kick rocks and get the hell out.  2nd Hate to burst your bubble but voting no on d is in no way going to change these business hiring practices. The Chamber has in no way shape or form uttered that they would start to hire more teens if Measure D was squashed. All their asking is for you to vote no on D so they can go back to counting their money.Had the minimum wage gone up with inflation we would already be at $10+. Kids are esentially working for half of what you got paid back in the day because the dollar just doesnt go as far. I had a teacher that said he worked a summer job to pay for college. LOL because most students now days have to work 2 jobs to pay for college.And that of course is during spring summer winter and fall.Yes on D for Dignity.

  11. dmc I agree everybody deserves a fair shot. The problem is the skill set. Last I looked a plumber didn’t make $8 a hour. If a job pays $8 a hour its min skill set. But you can’t raise the wage in one part of town and not the other. Hence our burger debate. If you haven’t figured it out yet I own a business in SJ. I’m barely getting by. In your world I should close up and let my 10 employees go. So if employees can’t get a raise they should have no money. I know the argument another business will take my place. Will you open one up in my place cause from your postings it doesn’t sound like you would survive very long. The fact is I hear it at least once a day. Used to be every 10 minutes “what you want to charge me .10 cents for a bag that is crazy. Your cheap. I say no its mandated by law” Then they get all annoyed about the law. So if my clients feel like .10 cents is killing them how will they feel when I raise my prices by a $1 to pay a higher wage when the business down the street still charges less.
    On your argument on college education well that is prop 13 fault. We need to raise property taxes for everybody to pay there fair share. Yes some old people will lose there homes which sounds like your ok with as you don’t care if small business shut there doors. But education is increasing at a alarming rate. If it mirrored min wage the wage would probably be around $40 a hour at least. So you need to vote NO on D as its a business/job killer its just Dumb.

  12. The problem with downtown Cinemas isn’t the minimum wage, its the lack of patrons.  SF has no trouble paying a living wage at the Metrodome—because it is full of people.

    Fewer patrons are buying popcorn and soda because of the price.  Hard to justify $5 soda when you can get all you can drink at McDs for a dollar.  Yet I understand the ticket price simply covers cost of movie—and the “food” makes the money.  But expanding sales is the key, especially when the cost to make the soda is pennies on the dollar.

    By the way, two $5 soda sales covers an hour of employee wages under minimum wage.

    Here is one idea,, why not reduce the number of theaters and improve the quality of the movies?

    • On this one why are you comparing SJ Cinemas to McDs for the soda. Why not compare SJ Cinemas to SF Cinemas. Why can one get patrons and the other can’t. So your saying shut down a lot of the Cinemas in SJ. Then who will pay the $10 a hour that you and your army are trying to better. Maybe make SJ better then kills businesses with extra expenses before you just kill the dying patient.
      Just some more thought on the subject.
      Just seems your whole band of rebels think all business owners on huge boats and have limos.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *